Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Belgium
Belgium: Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) was -0.8041 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Deficit, Percent of own spending in Belgium, 1995–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Belgium recorded -0.8041 for deficit, percent of own spending in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 230.4% on the previous year and down 195.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deficit, percent of own spending in Belgium peaked at -0.0111 in 2006 and was at its lowest, -0.8041, in 2020.
Belgium ranks 64th of 66 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -0.2391 | — |
| 1996 | -0.2198 | -8.1% |
| 1997 | -0.1593 | -27.5% |
| 1998 | -0.1153 | -27.6% |
| 1999 | -0.1121 | -2.8% |
| 2000 | -0.0304 | -72.9% |
| 2001 | -0.0826 | +172.1% |
| 2002 | -0.0185 | -77.6% |
| 2003 | -0.117 | +533.1% |
| 2004 | -0.0168 | -85.6% |
| 2005 | -0.2109 | +1154.4% |
| 2006 | -0.0111 | -94.8% |
| 2007 | -0.0822 | +643.1% |
| 2008 | -0.1432 | +74.3% |
| 2009 | -0.339 | +136.8% |
| 2010 | -0.272 | -19.8% |
| 2011 | -0.3164 | +16.3% |
| 2012 | -0.2918 | -7.8% |
| 2013 | -0.2307 | -20.9% |
| 2014 | -0.2272 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | -0.1269 | -44.2% |
| 2016 | -0.2897 | +128.4% |
| 2017 | -0.152 | -47.5% |
| 2018 | -0.0279 | -81.7% |
| 2019 | -0.2433 | +772.4% |
| 2020 | -0.8041 | +230.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's -0.8041 is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.2946, 2.7× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Belgium's -0.8041 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.2415, 3.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | -1154.4% | -0.0168 | -0.2109 |
| 2019 | -772.4% | -0.0279 | -0.2433 |
| 2007 | -643.1% | -0.0111 | -0.0822 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.1691 | -0.2391 | -0.1121 | 5 |
| 2000s | -0.1052 | -0.339 | -0.0111 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2178 | -0.3164 | -0.0279 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.8041 | -0.8041 | -0.8041 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 61 Kazakhstan -0.5697 compare
- 62 United States -0.6264 compare
- 63 Peru -0.646 compare
- 65 Spain -0.8351 compare
- 66 Japan -1.25 compare
More public sector data for Belgium
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 430.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 43.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0008 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -92.94 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is deficit, percent of own spending in Belgium?
- Deficit, percent of own spending in Belgium was -0.8041 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was -0.0111 in 2006.
- What is the lowest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.8041 in 2020.
- How does Belgium rank for deficit, percent of own spending?
- Belgium ranks 64th out of 66 countries with data for 2020.
- Is deficit, percent of own spending rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 195.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.